Improvement in corsets



J. BOWERS.

Corset.

No. 208,362. Patented Sept 24,1878.

MPErEnS, PHOYO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES ATEN'I' OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 20S,362, dated September 24, 1878; application filed June 22, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Bownns, of the.

city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in corsets, whereby the busks or stays to which the fastenings are secured are pre vented from breaking, and other important advantages are secured.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the nature and character of the invention,in which Figure l is a front view of that portion of a corset to which the busks or springs referred to are inserted; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, taken through line 00, similar letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in each figure.

The invention consists in combinin g with each of the busks A, to which the fastenings a are secured in the ordinary manner, independent supporting and strengthening stays B and 0, corresponding in width, or nearly so, with the stays A, which are inserted in independent or separate pockets, as indicated in Fig. 2. The edges of the two pockets on each side are even and uniform, so that the said edges may be united and stitched together, thereby forming athird pocket for the reception of other braces, G, as indicated in said Fig. 2, said braces 0 being adjustable at the pleasure of the wearer.

One object of this invention is, as above stated, to support the braces A, which are perforated to receive the fasten ings, and hence are materially weakened and liable to break at the points where the perforations occur;

- and another is to regulate the degree of stiffness, as may be required by the wearer.

The independent braces B and O are not perforated, and hence their flexibility is uniform. Said braces 13 and 0 should he, say, two inches shorter than the braces A, or vice versa, so that the lower end of the corset may not be too stiff, and should be made of springsteel or other flexible material, so as to answer the purpose for which they are intended.

As already, observed, it is at the option of the wearer to make the front of the corset as rigid or as flexible as desired, by simply insertin g or extracting one or more of the busks, which consumes but a moment.

It will also be observed that when the corset is adjusted and clasped to the waist the stays B afi'ord sufficient surface to bear against the body, so that no inconvenience is experienced by the wearer.

I claim- The combination, with stays A and B, arranged as described, of adjustable stays G, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES BOWERS.

IVitnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, Tnos. W. JACKSON. 

